James II of Cyprus

James II (; /1439 or c. 1440 – 10 July 1473) was the penultimate King of Cyprus (usurper), reigning from 1460/1464 until his death. Archbishop of Nicosia James was born in Nicosia as the illegitimate son of John II of Cyprus and Marietta de Patras. He was a great favourite of his father, and in 1456, at the age of 16, he was appointed to the archbishopric of Nicosia. After murdering Iacopo Urri, the royal chamberlain, on 1 April 1457, he was deprived of the archbishopric and fled to Rhodes on a ship of the Catalan Juan Tafures. He was pardoned by his father, and the archbishopric was returned to him. King of Cyprus In 1458, his father died and his half-sister Charlotte became Queen of Cyprus. Then in 1460, with support from the Egyptian Mamluk sultan Sayf ad-Din Inal, James challenged her right to the throne, blockading her and her husband, Louis of Savoy, in the castle of Kyrenia for three years. Charlotte fled to Rome in 1463. With the fall of Kyrenia before the autumn of 1464, de facto Charlotte and Louis lost their throne. James was crowned king in her stead. In gratitude, he made his friend and supporter Juan Tafures Master of his Household and titular Count of Tripoli.